Suitable habitat of Himalayan wolf in Upper Mustang, Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal

Abstract

Decades ago, the Himalayan wolf Canis lupus chanco, a genetically distinct sub-species of the gray wolf Canis lupus, faced persecution by local communities in the Nepalese Himalayas. Recently, wolf populations have returned and recolonized, sparking concerns about conflicts over livestock depredation, and emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive data on their distribution and habitat suitability to mitigate the threat of extinction driven by human activities. In this study, we applied MaxEnt models to determine suitable habitat of the Himalayan wolf and identify key environmental factors influencing its distribution. Data on Himalayan wolf occurrences were collected along 187.51 km of transects, recording scats, pugmarks, and direct evidence like kill sites and live sightings. Maxent modelling revealed that seasonal precipitation, temperature, and slope were the primary environmental factors influencing habitat suitability for the Himalayan wolf in the Nepalese Himalayas. The study found that 52% (1090 km2) of the study region in Upper Mustang is highly suitable for wolves, especially in the range of 3200–5000 m a.s.l. and areas characterized by cold conditions, moderate to high precipitation, open grassland, and gentle slopes. As indicated by the results, rising temperature (climate warming) and human expansion could contribute to pushing Himalayan wolves to higher elevations, thereby reducing the availability of suitable habitat at lower elevations. This suggests the need for targeted conservation strategies to protect this endangered species in Nepal.